As offensive coordinator for the Cal football team, Tony Franklin is the mastermind of the Bear Raid attack, notable for its ferocious tempo.

But there are times when Franklin takes his foot off the gas pedal.

He slows it down while savoring his daily walk through campus from BART to his office at Memorial Stadium. One day he stopped to listen at a rally protesting potential U.S. military intervention in Syria.

A 56-year-old native of Kentucky, Franklin has quickly adjusted to the campus often best-known for Telegraph Avenue and the birth of the Free Speech Movement. He’s not concerned with what he wears or if he shaves daily.

Asked if anyone has suggested that he has a Berkeley vibe, Franklin said, “I know I do. The voice just doesn’t reflect it. I absolutely love living here. I just love the openness of the young people.”